Ethics complaint could be final strike for Storey County sheriff Gerald Antinoro

Allegations of sexual harassment, wrongful terminations, ethical violations and budget issues led to a recall election to unseat Storey County Sheriff Gerald Antinoro. But Antinoro and a few of his supporters say the effort is a just a move to gain control of the sheriff's office.
Wochit

NOTE: The story was changed to show that a public officer must willfully violate three or more ethics laws for the Nevada Commission on Ethics to seek his or her removal from office through the courts.

Storey County Sheriff Gerald Antinoro has survived allegations of workplace sexual harassment, discrimination, defamation and ethics violations that led to a failed recall vote.

Now, he faces another ethics violation that could lead to removal from office.

Last week, a state review panel determined Antinoro may have violated an ethics law by displaying posters that show him wearing his uniform and badge during his re-election campaign last year.

On Thursday, the panel released their findings and requested the Nevada Commission on Ethics review the case. If the commission finds Antinoro willfully breached state ethics law again, he could lose his seat in office.

Prior to this case, he was found in violation of the ethics law on three occasions, two of which were found to be willful.

In one of those occasions, he used government letterhead to make a private political endorsement.

Buy Photo

Storey County Sheriff Gerald Antinoro at a Nevada Commission on Ethics hearing in Reno on Wednesday, Oct. 17 2018. The commission fined him $2,500 for his third ethical breach.(Photo: Sam Gross/RGJ)

In another, he allowed his wife to use the sheriff’s office for personal use on a weekend. State law says a public officer cannot use their governmental position to secure personal privileges, preferences, exemptions or advantages.

An officer also cannot use government time, property equipment or facilities for personal gain. If a public officer willfully violates three or more ethics laws, the commission can seek his removal in the courts.

A target of allegations

In May, Kris Thompson, business manager for Storey County Commissioner Lance Gilman, filed a complaint after he said residents approached him with concerns.

Thompson said two residents took pictures of the posters that were displayed throughout Virginia City. A picture of Antinoro in uniform was on campaign billboards, websites and flyers posted on social media, according to the complaint filed in May.

Gilman owns the Mustang Ranch brothel and oversees the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center — home to companies such as Tesla and Google.

Attempts at reaching Antinoro for comment on the latest ethics case were unsuccessful Friday.

Yvonne Nevarez-Goodson, executive director for the Nevada Commission on Ethics, said in an email on Friday that she could not comment on a pending case.

Antinoro also faces another pending ethics case related to his re-election campaign in June.

In July, Carson City Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Cullen filed a complaint alleging Antinoro wore his “badge, belt, holster and gun” at several debates.

At that time, Cullen was running for Storey County sheriff.

Cullen also claims Antinoro wore his uniform while leading the Memorial Day Parade in Virginia City and again while hosting a weekly live radio show, “Sheriff Jerry and Friends,” which launched in May.

“I made the conscious decision not to wear my uniform and badge at three campaign debates against Antinoro based on advice I received about the ethics,” Cullen said in the complaint.

He goes on to say, “The use of his badge, belt, holster, and gun provided a tremendous advantage to him during the campaign.”

Antinoro has been the target of various allegations of misconduct over the past several years, which led to a failed recall attempt in 2017.

Antinoro is also currently entangled in a federal lawsuit with a former chief deputy who claims he sexually harassed her. He’s also locked in a slow-moving defamation lawsuit with Gilman, who claims the sheriff made disparaging comments about the Mustang Ranch Brothel.

In October, he was also fined $2,500 for allowing his wife to use the sheriff’s office for personal use on a Saturday, a day when the office is generally closed to the public.